Catching Teardrops (MAC Security 5)

“Aiden!” Lily gasps, trying to move toward him, but my arm wrapping around her waist has her stopping.

My frustration reaches new heights as I look at her and realize she was in this bar with a guy who’s as drunk as she is. How the hell is he meant to protect her from anyone if he can’t even stand up straight?

“Luke?” Charlie’s deep voice calls. “You need a hand?”

Taking hold of Lily’s face in my hands, I tilt it up to look at me. “How drunk are you?”

“You have pretty eyes,” she whispers, her hand reaching out and jabbing my cheek. “You know I waited for you to message me back, but you didn’t… why didn’t you? Is it because of…” She looks around, lowering her voice—or at least trying to. “Is it because we kissed?”

My breaths start to come harder and faster, and if it wasn’t for the audience we have right now, I’d tell her that it is because of the kiss. That this can’t happen. I can’t get caught up in this with her. But one look down at her brother lying on the asphalt and I know I can’t leave her here like th

is. Not only that but if she goes home in this state… fuck!

“Charlie? Get him in the car.”

“What? Fuck no!”

Swinging my head around to Charlie, I see the hidden meaning behind his eyes as I look around the bar and the cameras outside of it.

“Meet us around the corner,” I shout to him, waiting until he’s gone before wrapping an arm securely around Lily’s shoulders and moving us closer to Aiden who’s now starting to sit up.

“Hey—”

“Get up,” I thunder. He watches me with wide eyes, still not moving. “Get the fuck up, now!”

He jerks back, his eyes widening as he slowly starts to stand, failing several times before he’s on his feet. “Okay, jeez… no need to shout.”

Lily chuckles, leaning her weight on me fully. “He’s bossy.”

Aiden grins at Lily, but it’s the kind of brotherly grin when he thinks something is funny. “Like Dad.”

Lily’s body stiffens, her chest moving faster against my arm, her whole aura changing with just one name. I want to let her go and shake the guy, telling him to sober the fuck up, but right now it’s no use. So instead, I tilt my head to the corner and tell him to move it.

It takes several attempts to get them in the car, and as soon as Lily is in the back, she promptly falls asleep, her brother next to her.

“Wanna explain?” Charlie asks when I get back in the front.

“No,” I grunt in reply, trying to make a plan as I reel off my mom’s address to him.

LILY

My mouth is the driest it’s ever been, my head bangs to an invisible beat, and my body is sore in places I didn’t think it could be. Trying to open my eyes is a futile attempt, so I wait a couple of minutes, concentrating on my breathing to keep my food down.

The smell of bacon has it churning, and then my eyes are whipping open as I look around. I don’t recognize the room or the bed, but it’s distinctly male.

Shit. What happened last night?

I can’t remember anything after the third beer at the bar.

Where am I? Where’s Aiden?

Sitting up slowly, I start to really take the room in—trophies sitting on a shelf along with posters of rock bands on the walls. It looks more like a teenager’s room than anything else.

My eyes widen when someone knocks on the door and then a soft voice I know all too well says, “I’ve cooked you some breakfast, come down when you’re ready.”

Kim?

Why the hell am I at Kim’s?